A group of individuals approached Maulana AliAS to solicit some worldly favours on the pretext that they were his followers. After giving them a long and sustained gaze, Maulana AliAS said, “I do not see upon you any trace of what you all claim to be.” Then he described for them the traits of his true followers,characteristics which were all but missing from them.
Along with attire, one of the most prominent signs that a person adheres to Fatemi Thaqafat is his beard. To sporta beard is not just a manifestation of Fatemi Thaqafat but is the sunnat of RasulullahSA. Even Anbiyaa’ KiraamAS; who preceded RasulullahSA, kept untrimmed beards. When we study their history in this context, it is evident that they have all adorned themselves with a beardand have emphatically advocated and persuaded their follower’s to keep beards.
Let us recall a few narrations from our rich history which draw us towards following our Awliyaa’ KiraamAS regarding the sunnat of keeping a beard:
- Maulana AliAS would put his hands on his beard while praying at night and weep relentlessly.
- Maulana AliAS used to prophesize his shahaadat by saying ‘when will the day come when the blood of this head colours this beard’.
- On Yaum Ashuraa’ when Maulana Imam Husain AS gave raza mubarak to some members of his Ahle bayt, his grief was such that his tears drenched his beard.
- Imam Husain’s ASbeard flew with the wind when his raa’smubarak was placed on a spearhead following his shahaadat.
- Emperor Akbar was mesmerized by the fully grown beard of al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Dawood bin QutubshahRA and would keep looking towards his radiant countenancewhen he was seated in his court.
- During the time of al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Qutubkhan QutbuddinRA, the rulers forced Mumineentotrim their beards. Syedna Qutbuddin ShahidRA attained shahadat for proclaiming that he was a true sunni,a follower of the sunnah of RasulullahSA: Fatemi Thaqafat.
- Many, if not all of our home, are blessed with the pictures of 7 Duat Mutlaqeen: Syedna Abdulqadir Najmuddin, Syedna Abdulhusain Husamuddin, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, Syedna Abdullah Badruddin, Syedna TaherSaifuddin, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal SaifuddinTUS. A glimpse of their radiant faces conveys to us where their happiness lies with regards to keeping a beard.
For fifty years, al-Hayy al-Muqaddas Syedna Mohammed BurhanuddinRA repeatedly stressed upon Mumineen the importance of adorning themselves with fully grown, untrimmed beards. During bethaks and ziyaafats he would often personally direct Mumineen to do so. In the year 1431 H, following Asharah Mubarakah in Marol, Mumbai he sent khidmat guzars on his behalf to the homes of Mumineen to convince them of the importance of this directive.
Keeping a fully grown beard; devoid of any fashionable cuts or trims is the sunnat of RasulullahSA. As per Shari’ah, following specifications have to be strictly adhered to while keeping beard:
- Hairs below the two protruding bones adjacent to the ears are from the beard. They should not be trimmed or shaved
- Hairs from the cheeks can be shaved
- Hairs from below the beard on the neck should not be shaved
- Moustache should be trimmed, lest the hairs fall upon the upper lips
- Hairs bridging the gap between the lower lip and the beard can be trimmed
May Allah protect Fatemi Thaqafat in our descendants. May He grant our Maula, Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal SaifuddinTUS the custodian of Fatemi Thaqafat a long life till the Day of Qiyaamat.